Former US President Trump recently directly blamed President Biden and Vice President Harris for the recent attempted assassination against him. He stated on Monday that their remarks were inciting violence against him, labeling his opponents as “real threats.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital channel the day after the arrest of the gunman Ryan Wesley Routh, Trump shifted the criticism towards Biden and Harris.
Trump stated in the interview, “He (referring to Routh) believed in Biden and Harris’s words, acted upon them. It was their words that led to the shooting (threat) against me. The one who is saving this country is me, and they are the ones destroying this country from within and out.”
He added, “They wrap me up in words and lawsuits, these dangerous fools, like this gunman, listen to these things, that is what they can listen to, just like the first one (referring to the gunman from the failed shooting incident on July 13).”
Two months ago, during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, a gunman fired at Trump, hitting his ear, and resulting in the death of an audience member.
The former president later posted on “Truth Social,” claiming that Biden and Harris have brought the country’s politics to new levels of hate, abuse, and mistrust.
Trump further commented, “Due to the rhetoric of these communist leftists, bullets are flying, and the situation will only get worse,” and referred to their border policies as “unforgivable crimes.”
The Secret Service found a gun sticking out from a fence about 500 yards from where the former president was playing golf. An agent fired, forcing the gunman Routh to flee. According to the Associated Press, the police stated that he was later arrested and charged with federal gun offenses on Monday.
President Biden and Vice President Harris, upon learning that former President Trump was unharmed, expressed relief and condemned the “political violence” that occurred after the incident.
Democratic candidate Harris stated in a statement on Sunday, “I am deeply disturbed by the possible attempted assassination against former President Trump today. As we gather the facts, I want to make it clear: I condemn political violence, and we all must do our part to ensure this incident does not lead to more violence.”
Biden also denounced the “political violence” on Sunday. Previously, after the attack against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania in July, he delivered a primetime address, urging people to remain calm.
For decades, the United States has never experienced political violence against a major party’s presidential candidate, and now, within two months, the US has witnessed two similar incidents – former President Trump being targeted both times.
According to Reuters, the gunman Routh supported Trump in the 2016 election but later switched to supporting Democrats, being a supporter of the Democratic radicals. In 2020, he posted on X supporting Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and mocking Biden as “Sleepy Joe.”
Earlier this year, Routh tweeted at Biden, parodying Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” telling Biden, “Your campaign should be called ‘Keep America Democratic And Free,’ and Trump’s campaign should be ‘Make Americans Slaves Again.'”
Routh previously responded to Biden and Harris’s anti-Trump comments on his social media page, stating, “Democracy is written on the ballot, we cannot lose.” He often posts about politics and only donates to Democrats.
(Reference: Congressional Hill News)